Compositions based on olefin polymers, such as copolymers of an alkylene-alkyl acrylate, by reason of their advantageous physical and electrical properties, have been suggested for use in various commercial applications. For example, alkylene-alkyl acrylate copolymers are corrosion resistant, tough and abrasion resistant. Consequently, alkylene-alkyl acrylate copolymers have been suggested for use in compositions to be used as jacketing material about industrial control cables and telephone wires and cables and as insulation about electrical conductors.
Although alkylene-alkyl acrylate copolymers have properties which make them desirable for use in compositions which are to be used as jacketing material and as insulation, as described, alkylene-alkyl acrylate copolymers suffer the disadvantage of being flammable. In order to render these copolymers flame retardant and also, in order to reduce gas evolution on burning, a halogenated flame retardant additive and an alkaline earth metal salt or base have been added thereto, as described in my applications which have been previously identified. Compositions, disclosed in these applications, the disclosures of which applications are incorporated herein by reference, are commercially attractive systems which are flame retardant, and upon burning, do not produce dense smoke and do not evolve high levels of acidic and corrosive gases.
Currently, in light of more stringent industry standards and more stringent government regulations, there is an immediate need for compositions which are characterized by a higher degree of flame retardancy with no unacceptable degradation of other desirable properties previously described.